Safe Place Series

by Shani Greene-Dowdell

  Safe Place Series

  Parts 1 and 2 Combined

  By Shani Greene-Dowdell

  www.shanigreenedowdell.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third party Web sites or their content.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher are illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Reader Notes:

  Safe Place Part 1 was previously published but has been revised and added to this edition.

  Series Order: Dangerous Bonds, Safe Place 1 & 2, and A Dangerous Way to Love (November 2019).

  Standalones: While the Dangerous Bonds books are in a series, each book is a standalone and can be read separately.

  Table of Contents

  Part 1

  Part 2

  A Dangerous Way to Love Cover Reveal

  IPH Excerpts

  Part 1

  The Dance

  Prologue

  Tameka

  Melodic music played as I watched my two kids, Kevin and Eva, as they talked with other kids attending Kemara and Channing’s wedding. It was still hard to believe my sister was married, and to a man I never dreamed I would get along with. However, Channing was good for her. He stood up to his family’s racism, and I couldn’t deny that the love they shared was beautiful to watch.

  I also couldn’t deny the fact that I was jealous of that love. On the one hand, I just wanted to be happy for them, but on the other, my world was falling apart. The sadness inside of me bubbled to the surface in my uncertainty that I would ever find the kind of love that set me afire. The kind worth risking it all for. Not after what I experienced with my ex.

  When I was married to my children’s father, Rodney, our love had dwindled down to pure hatred for one another. The only good thing that came from our marriage was the two kids I had my eyes on. I was so wrapped up in watching them that I didn’t hear the DJ making his announcement for the catchers of the garter belt and bouquet to come to the dance floor until I heard the music changing and a man clear his throat.

  “I believe that’s our cue,” the man’s voice rasped beside my ear, and I turned around to see Jeb Holloway, Channing’s first cousin, and best man.

  “Oh, right. We’re supposed to dance,” I mumbled.

  A knot tightened in my stomach as I stood up and looked at Jeb’s outstretched hand. I didn’t want to dance with the stranger, and that wasn’t even half of it. Jeb was a handsome man. Scratch that. He was tall, rugged, built country boy solid, and I would go as far as to say he was sexy as hell. His smile had the power to melt a woman’s heart, but it surprised the heck out of me when it was my heart that started melting a little.

  By now, I was supposed to be immune to all handsome men. I’d given Kemara hell for falling for a man who had a racist family. Yet, as I looked into Jeb’s eyes, I quickly cast aside all thoughts of him being Channing’s family member. I couldn’t overcome the fact that I was still a woman with warm blood pumping through my veins, and he looked good.

  Earlier in the evening, I caught the bouquet, and Jeb caught the garter. Now, we were supposed to dance with each other, which was the very reason I felt awkward as we stood there looking into each other’s eyes. I finally took his outstretched hand and allowed him to lead me to the dance floor, where the rest of the wedding party was already dancing.

  When he pulled me into his arms and held me close, I kept telling myself this was a dance between two people forced to dance together for tradition’s sake. The way my body melted into his and ebbed with his flow was the part I couldn’t explain.

  Rumor had it, Jeb liked to play the field, and he liked to play a lot of women at once. Therefore, the interest I saw in his eyes moments earlier was likely born out of a thirst to conquer his next woman, not a genuine interest in me. Since conquering me wasn’t happening, I decided on fulfilling my bouquet catcher duties and hoping this song would end soon.

  “Today has been a beautiful day, hasn’t it?” he asked as his ocean blue eyes sparkled and almost made me forget everything I’d heard about him. God had a sense of humor when he created men so gorgeous and appealing only for them to be cheating dogs that no woman could trust.

  Swallowing a massive lump in my throat, I nodded. “It really has been a lovely day. I’m so happy for Kemara,” I admitted. Seeing the tears roll down my sister’s face as she committed herself to the love of her life had been the highlight of my day, and that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

  Well, perhaps a man of my own, but still…

  “Awesome day,” I added. “If only every day could be like this.”

  Was that lame? I kind of feel that was lame, I thought as I wondered if this song would ever end so I could get away from this hunk of a man who could definitely become a new distraction. I didn’t need any new distractions. My ex-husband’s full-scale Lifetime drama and suspense were enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life.

  Jeb seemed to have something else in mind as he stared into my eyes, almost to the point of obsession. The scrutiny from his blue eyes only served to heighten the nervous feeling I had while inside his arms.

  “When you’re with the right person, every day can be like this,” Jeb said, holding me closer and swaying us both side to side to the beat of the music.

  “I guess you’re right,” I said.

  “Did you see the looks on Channing and Kemara’s faces when they ditched the reception? They were pretty stoked.” He smiled, and I smirked as I thought about the sneaky look my sister had when she and Channing thought they slipped out without being noticed.

  “Yeah, I would say they were far too excited about leaving. We know what they’re up to,” I said as the smell of Jeb’s cologne tickled my senses, his smile softened my disposition, and I found myself doing something I said I would never do—let my guard down.

  “You have beautiful eyes, Tameka,” he said and smiled. “I’m sure everyone tells you that.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks as he peered into my eyes. I had questions running through my mind such as, ‘Why did he say that? Why was he looking at me so dreamily? Why was I hanging on to every word?’ His touch, his stares, his words, the way my mind and body responded to this man were all forbidden things.

  “Um…thank you,” I said a couple pitches higher than I would’ve liked. “No, everyone doesn’t tell me that,” I said, making a conscious effort to take the gushiness out of my voice and remove the emotions I was feeling at the moment out of my life for good.

  My knees were a bit wobbly from his charming remarks and the way he looked at me. I would turn to mush if we kept exchanging souls through our orbs, so I had to look away. Weddings have a way of making people believe in the mythical feel of love and romance. That had to be the reason Jeb’s nearness made my heart sing a new tune and heat pool in places that were prohibited to be aroused by him.

  A former member of the white nationalist brotherhood had me in his arms, making me feel ways I vowed never to feel again. That, in itself, was a no-go. I didn’t know Jeb but knew enough to know his past was checkered with an affiliation to a local white supremacy group. While Kemara had told me Jeb had mustered the courage to leave the group after Channing left, it was indisputable that t
hey both had been a part of it. I forgave Channing after I got to know and trust him, but Jeb was not Channing. He was a womanizer out here in these Alabama streets, and I picked up on that much by watching him work the women at the reception before I caught the bouquet.

  Men and their games were a very staunch reminder of why I didn’t need a man in my life, and why my kids were more than enough. Jeb’s nearness caused my emotions to stir, so I had to get away from him. I took two steps back, and a wrinkle appeared at the top of his forehead. Even that wrinkle was gorgeous enough to lick. Jesus, the unwanted thoughts he elicited from me were pure sin.

  With the music still playing, I cut the dance short.

  “I— I need to check on my kids. I have to go,” I said abruptly.

  It was a weak excuse indeed, but I was halfway across the room by the time he looked as if he wanted to argue that point. I scurried off the dance floor straight for the exit door.

  Mom stopped me before I set foot out of the reception hall. She was looking beautiful in her silver Mother-of-the-Bride gown while one of her daughters was having the best night of her life, and me…well, I was unraveling from the center.

  “Where are you going, Tameka? Are you leaving?” she asked with a look of confusion contorting her expertly made-up brown face.

  At a loss for words, I smiled. “No, I’m stepping outside for a moment. I need some fresh air, but I’ll be right back in. Have you seen the kids lately?” I asked in attempt to divert her attention from my escape.

  She pointed to the table Eva and Kevin were sitting at before I started dancing with Jeb. She reached out and touched my arm. “Is everything alright, baby? You look like you don’t feel well,” Mom asked.

  “Everything’s fine, Mom,” I said, nodding. “Just fine.”

  She tilted her head and gave me one of those looks every mom gives when they know their child is lying. “Are you sure you’re fine? You would tell me if you weren’t,” she asked.

  “Everything’s great.” I smiled a little brighter, then walked past her heading outside.

  When I made it out the door, I took a deep breath as a gentle wind washed over me. A thousand stars lit up the majestic night sky. It was a beautiful night to fall in love, but love would have to steal me away because I wasn’t looking for it, and I would never willingly fall subject to it again.

  ***

  Jeb

  I felt the loss after she left my arms. I stepped off the dance floor dazed and confused as to the reason Tameka ran off so quickly, leaving only her sweet essence in the air. I thought everything was going fine until she suddenly said she needed to check on her kids. Ironically, she bypassed them and headed towards the exit doors, making me wonder why she made such a lame excuse to get away from me.

  I took a seat at a table near the dance floor, once my dance partner eloped me. I didn’t want to embarrass myself by standing there looking in the direction she ran away to, so I sat there scheming of a new way to approach her to see what was troubling her. This was too lovely of an affair, and she was too pretty of a woman to be as stressed out as she was a few minutes earlier. I didn’t like seeing the worry lines on her face. If I could do something to replace them with a smile, I would. I chuckled at the thought of Tameka and me falling into my bed while being latched onto each other. Sex was the best stress reliever, but there was no way she would be open to that.

  Dale, a mutual friend of mine and Channing, chuckled along with me. “What’s so funny, Jeb?” he asked, and I shrugged.

  “Thinking about something, man. That’s all,” I said, stopping short of revealing that I was sitting there pining about Tameka. “It’s really good to see you here. What are you up to these days, Dale?”

  Dale shrugged. “Not much, Jeb. About to head out of here. I have people to see and do if you know what I mean.” He winked at me and smirked.

  I snickered because I knew exactly what he meant, and my thoughts seemed to go there about a particular woman too.

  “Why did the wedding dance between you and that gorgeous fox out there end so quickly? If that had been me, she’d still be getting rocked,” he said while wiggling his eyebrows.

  “You mean Tameka?” I responded gruffly.

  Dale nodded. “Yeah, the bride’s sexy sister. Man, she’s hotter than a box of firecrackers. I would have her climbing the walls all night.” A light shined in his eyes as he talked about Tameka.

  Heat rose into my chest, and I wanted to yell that she was mine, but that wasn’t true. So my reply was a dry, “Oh, she went to check on her kids.”

  “Wow, she has kids?” I nodded, and he continued. “Well, she’s still a fine piece of ass. You better make your move, or some other guy will.” Dale wiggled his eyebrows again, and I glared at him as an overwhelming urge to punch something grew inside of me.

  The way I felt was beyond reasoning. I wasn’t known for defending the honor of women I didn’t know very well. Yet I firmly stated, “She’s a woman, Dale. Treat her with respect.”

  His eyebrow arched as he stared at me. “Hmmm…interesting,” he mumbled. Then, he laughed at me.

  I opened my mouth to ask what was so funny, but he waved me off and walked away mumbling about me acting uptight tonight.

  Was I overprotective of Tameka? Of course, I was. But why was I doing that when she wasn’t mine and didn’t seem interested in ever being mine?

  I looked at the doorway as Tameka walked in and headed towards the table where her kids were sitting. I hesitated only for a split second before I decided to make my move. I got up and walked over to her. She turned and met my gaze then looked like she wanted to bolt out the door once again.

  “Hey, wanna continue the dance where we left off?” I asked, holding out my hand.

  She looked down at my hand, and her beautifully arched eyebrows furrowed before she looked back up at me. She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.

  “No,” she replied.

  Tameka was wearing a dress that only she could pull off. It was different than the other bridesmaids’ dresses in that it hugged onto every curve of her body for dear life. Her lips curved downward into a sexy pout, speckles of hazel could be seen in her pretty brown eyes, and her body looked as soft as it had felt. She wasn’t just beautiful, she gave off a fiery, passionate look that made me want her more by the second.

  “No?” I questioned unbelievably. “As best man and maid of honor, and the two people that caught the bouquet and undergarment, we must complete a full dance together, maybe two if you consider both things. We would hate to shirk that responsibility, right?”

  “Jeb, we danced long enough. You’re just thinking too much,” she said with widened eyes.

  “If you want to avoid what we were supposed to do, then do it, but you shouldn’t pull me along,” I said with my signature flirtatious smirk on my face. “Let’s do the right thing, baby.”

  “First of all, Kemara and Channing aren’t even here, so they won’t know we didn’t finish our dance? Secondly, I’m not one of those women you can charm all the way to the bed so you can just stop it, right now.”

  I knew that reply would get a rise out of her. She had sass, and I was attracted to that in so many ways. I loved a badass woman who could be as soft as a flower when she needed to be, and that was Tameka.

  “If you think this is charming, perhaps I’m getting through to you after all,” I said with a smirk.

  “You’re certainly not getting through to me. Perhaps your arrogance works on others, but it does nothing for me,” she countered as a heated blaze radiated from her stare, and it wasn’t adoration.

  I probably should’ve stopped there, for fear that one step further would push her away completely, but I wasn’t a quitter. I continued in pursuit of the beautiful woman that had my attention. “So, my arrogance doesn’t work on you, huh? What about my dance moves? I was putting my best dance moves forward out there, and I thought we were vibing together.”

  “You were alright,” she said,
allowing a small smile to crack on her lips.

  “We should complete a full dance for the reception video, if nothing else,” I pressed.

  She shook her head, twirled on her heels, and walked away from me. “We’re good Jeb,” she said, and my eyes dropped to admire the swinging of her plump derriere as it moved from side to side. Each step away from me was erotic enough to make me groan.

  Tameka’s heels caused her calf muscles to flex. Her calves were big, and they had to be to hold up her lusciously thick thighs. My mouth formed into an O as I watched her strut away. I wondered if that was the way she walked every day or if she was trying to drive me insane with the sway of her hips. I longed to live out the fantasy that the sight of her lovely thighs and hips brought vividly to my mind.

  Chapter 1

  Tameka

  A Year Later

  Excited chatter from upstairs wafted into the room as I stood at the bottom of the staircase waiting for my children to come down. They were going to spend the weekend with their father, and I wasn’t looking forward to the empty house.

  “Did you pack plenty of underwear, Kevin?” I called out expecting to hear him scream down, “Yes, Mom!” whether he had packed underwear or not.

  “Yes, Mom!” Kevin’s voice traveled down the steps to where I stood in the living room. I shook my head, knowing I would have to check behind him to make sure he had everything he needed while he was away.

  Eva, on the other hand, was a big girl. She didn’t like going to her father’s house, but she packed her bags with all of her necessities every time. Kevin would have me driving back and forth to bring him things he left at home all weekend long if he had it his way.

  Not this time, buddy, I thought as I started the vacuum and ran it over the living room carpet, being careful not to miss a spot. On Rodney’s weekends, he had the intrusive routine of glancing around my house to criticize me about something trivial such as a tiny track of dirt on the floor that he could see from the foyer.